Mathematics 541

Homework
October 25, 2000
Chapter 6, Problem 4. Show that U (8) is not isomorphic to U (10).
Answer: We know that U (8) = {1, 3, 5, 7} and U (10) = {1, 3, 7, 9}. In U (8), some computation shows that 3, 5, and 7 all have order 2, while in U (10), 3 and 7 have order 4 and
9 has order 2. Since there are differing numbers of elements of order 2, we see that U (8)
cannot be isomorphic to U (10).
If you prefer, you can observe that U (10) is cyclic (generated either by 3 or 7), while
U (8) is not cyclic, so the groups cannot be isomorphic.
Chapter 6, Problem 5. Show that U (8) is isomorphic to U (12).
Answer: There doesnt seem to be any easy way to do this problem other than by trial and
error. In fact, any 1-1 map from U (8) to U (12) that sends 1 to 1 will be an isomorphism. To
take a specific example, let : U (8) U (12) be defined by (1) = 1, (3) = 5, (5) = 7,
and (7) = 11. Then writing out the Cayley tables shows that this is an isomorphism:

1
3
5
7

1
1
3
5
7

3
3
1
7
5

5
5
7
1
3

7
7
5
3
1

1
5
7
11

1 5 7 11
1 5 7 11
5 1 11 7
7 11 1 5
11 7 5 1

Chapter 6, Problem 11. Find two groups G and H such that G 6 H, but Aut(G)
Aut(H).
Answer: The simplest answer here is to take G = Z3 and H = Z4 . Then we know that
G 6 H (because Z3 and Z4 have different numbers of elements), but Aut(Z3 ) U (3) and
Aut(Z4 ) U (4). Since U (3) and U (4) both have two elements, both groups are isomorphic
to a cyclic group with 2 elements.
In view of the answer to problem 6.5 above, another answer would be Z8 and Z12 ,
which are clearly not isomorphic. We know that Aut(Z8 ) U (8), and Aut(Z12 ) U (12).
Chapter 6, Problem 21. Prove or disprove that U (20) and U (24) are isomorphic.
Answer: Both U (20) and U (24) contain 8 elements, so there is no obvious reason why
they cant be isomorphic. But if we compute orders of elements, we find that the orders
of elements in U (20) looks like this:
n
o(n)

1 3 7 9 11 13 17 19
1 4 4 2 2 4 4 2

The orders of elements in U (24) looks like this:

n
o(n)

1 5 7 11 13 17 19 23
1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Therefore, the groups cannot be isomorphic.

Chapter 6, Problem 27. Let C be the complex numbers, and



a b 
M=
a, b R .
b a
Prove that C and M are isomorphic under addition and that C and M , the nonzero
elements of M , are isomorphic under multiplication.


a b
Answer: Define a function (a + bi) =
. You can check that this map is a
b a
bijection. To check that we have have an isomorphism under addition, we compute


a + c (b + d)
((a + bi) + (c + di)) = ((a + c) + (b + d)i) =
b+d
a+c

 

a b
c d
=
+
= (a + bi) + (c + di).
b a
d c
To check that we have an isomorphism under multiplication, we compute


ac bd (ad + bc)
((a + bi)(c + di)) = (ac bd + (ad + bc)i) =
ad + bc
ac bd



a b
c d
=
= (a + bi)(c + di).
b a
d c
Chapter 6, Problem 30. Suppose that G is a finite abelian group and G has no element
of order 2. Show that the mapping g g 2 is an automorphism of G. Show, by example,
that if G is infinite, the mapping need not be an automorphism.
Answer: Define (g) = g 2 . We see trivially that (ab) = (ab)2 = a2 b2 = (a)(b), using
the fact that G is an abelian group.
To show that is 1-1, suppose that (a) = (b). Then a2 = b2 , or a2 (b1 )2 = e, or
(ab1 )2 = e. Since G contains no elements of order 2, we can conclude that ab1 = e, or
a = b.
Because G is a finite group, we know that any 1-1 map from G to G is automatically
a surjection, and therefore is a bijection. That makes an automorphism.
If G is infinite, the picture changes. The function is still 1-1, but need not be onto.
One example is the group Q+ , the positive rational numbers with the group operation of
multiplication. The function (x) = x2 satisfies (xy) = (x)(y), and the function is 1-1,
but clearly not onto.
Chapter 6, Problem 35. Let a belong to a group G and let o(a) be finite. Let a be the
automorphism of G given by a (x) = axa1 . Show that o(a ) divides o(a). Exhibit an
element a from a group for which 1 < o(a ) < o(a).
Answer: Because we know that gh = g h , we can conclude by induction that ak =
(a )k . Suppose now that o(a) = n. Then (a )n = an = e , which is the identity
permutation. Therefore, o(a )|n.

2 = R
In the group D4 , consider the permutation R90 . We compute (R90 )2 = R90
,
180
which is the identity permutation (as shown previously). Since R90 is not the identity
permutation, we know that o(R90 ) = 2. On the other hand, o(R90 ) = 4.

Chapter 7, Problem 1. Let H = {(1), (12)(34), (13)(24), (14)(23)}. Find the left cosets of
H in A4 .
Answer: We have
eH = {(1), (12)(34), (13)(24), (14)(23)} = (12)(34)H = (13)(24)H = (14)(23)H
(123)H = {(123), (134), (243), (142)} = (134)H = (243)H = (142)H
(132)H = {(132), (234), (124), (143)} = (234)H = (124)H = (143)H
Chapter 7, Problem 7. Find all of the left cosets of {1, 11} in U (30).
Answer: The elements of U (30) are {1, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29}. Let H = {1, 11}. Then we
have
1H = {1, 11} = 11H
7H = {7, 17} = 17H
13H = {13, 23} = 23H
19H = {19, 29} = 29H
Chapter 7, Problem 18. Use Corollary 1 of Lagranges Theorem to prove that the order
of U (n) is even when n > 2.
Answer: The element n 1 is always in U (n), and when n > 2, we can see that n 1 6= 1.
On the other hand, (n 1)2 = n2 2n + 1, which is equal to 1 in U (n). Therefore, n 1
has order 2 in U (n). Since U (n) has an element of order 2, we can conclude that it must
have even order.